UK to contribute £40m to help rebuild Mosul after reconquest from Islamic State

UK to contribute £40m to help rebuild Mosul after reconquest from Islamic State

The UK will offer £40 million in humanitarian aid to rebuild war-torn Mosul after Iraqi forces declared victory over Islamic State in the city, International Development Secretary Priti Patel has said.

Ms Patel told MPs they “must be realistic about the challenges ahead” in the region as she hailed efforts to halt the “unimaginable oppression” by IS, also known as Daesh, on thousands of civilians in the city in Northern Iraq.

Iraqi security forces are clearing the final pockets of resistance from the terror group in Mosul after nearly nine months of fighting.

Ms Patel, delivering an urgent statement in the Commons on the humanitarian situation in Mosul, said: “I’m pleased to confirm the UK will provide £40 million of humanitarian funding this year, taking our total commitment just in Iraq to £209 million since 2014.

“This funding will help to ensure that the displaced communities, the displaced people, will receive the much-needed shelter, food and medical support and will provide protection services for the most vulnerable, including the minorities, and women and girls.”

She condemned the terror group’s “brutal” tactics including use of suicide bombers and human shields against Iraqi forces during the conflict and described the victory as “a great step forward” for global security.

Islamic State areas of control in Syria and Iraq (PA graphic)

Praising the bravery of security forces, Ms Patel added: “We should also recognise the bravery of the people of Mosul.

“Children who have been out of school for years who are now back in the classroom and sitting exams, doctors who have had to stop working under Daesh are giving life-saving treatment once again to fellow citizens who are injured in the fighting, volunteers are clearing the rubble from the streets and public buildings.

“We must though be realistic about the challenges ahead. Almost 50,000 homes have been destroyed.

“While almost 200,000 people have returned to their homes in eastern Mosul, over 700,000 people are still displaced and in need of continued humanitarian assistance.”

International Development Secretary Priti Patel syas almost 50,000 homes have been destroyed in Mosul (David Mirzoeff/PA)

Explosive remnants will be a problem in the city for many months to come, she said.

She said the UK had been at the “forefront” of efforts to offer aid in Mosul, adding: “After winning the battle for Mosul, it is important to win for peace and now starts that painstaking if rebuilding and reconciling so that families can return home as quickly as possible.”

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